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Mary's CenterThe world needs countless more organizations like Mary's Center for Maternal and Child Care (MCMCC). Founded in 1988, MCMCC (which is a federally qualified health center) helps to provide quality health care, social services, and education to a wide range of families in need, all without any expectation of repayment. From initially helping mothers and children displaced from Latin America, the center has grown and now assists over 8,000 families from all parts of the world. Their approach is holistic as they work to ensure a stable family life through physical and mental well-being, access to job training and education, access to transportation, and the ability to understand the cultural needs of their patients. MCMCC is continuing to grow the reach of its helping hand and open the door for this and new generations of families. Find out more in this week's Non-Profit Spotlight.
Non-Profit
Mary's Center for Maternal and Child Care
Founded
October 1988
Website
www.maryscenter.org
Name, Title
Vanessa K. DeCarbo
Director of Advocacy and Communications
Age
31
Hometown
New York, NY
Current residence
Washington, DC
Education
Mercy College, Master's 2003
The Colorado College, Bachelor of Arts, 1997
Ethnicity
Latina
About the non-profit
Mary’s Center for Maternal and Child Care is a federally qualified health center, ensuring that diverse families in immigrant and other under-served communities receive the highest quality care, education and social services regardless of an ability to pay. Recognized as a national model and with the support of Venture Philanthropy Partners and others, Mary’s Center continues to grow, expanding its services not only in its main facilities in the District but creating additional facilities in Maryland and Virginia.
What makes Mary's Center unique?
Founded in 1988 by president and CEO Maria Gomez, Mary’s Center developed as a community based, non-profit focused on maternal child care for immigrant women from Central America, displaced by civil wars and other life casualties.
As a National Council of la Raza affiliate and a full-service Federally Qualified Health Center, Mary’s Center serves over 8,000 families, many of whom are recent immigrants from Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, Middle Eastern and Asian countries, providing primary health care, wraparound and adult literacy services. The Center consistently responds to the changing community, providing services to a highly diverse group of families.
Mary's Center recognizes that healthy families are the result of many factors not just access to health care but also include improved educational opportunities, job skill, mental health, housing and access to transportation. The Center works to stabilize families, operating on the belief that fixing one aspect of people's lives isn't enough. Providing care for patients begins with the children of Mary’s Center, ensuring that they are able to break free of the challenges their families currently face.
What's the biggest challenge?
Growth, taking an organization that began as a grassroots effort in its purest form to a nationally recognized community health care model with over 150 employees, currently at two sites, soon to be three.
What's in store for the future?
Dedicated to providing quality and culturally appropriate health, social and educational services to Washington D.C.’s metro area under-served for over eighteen years, Mary’s Center for Maternal and Child Care remains dedicated to meeting the changing needs of an evolving population.
In 2007 we will develop a new primary care facility in Eastern Montgomery County, Maryland. In 2008 we will open our doors in Virgina, widening the health care safety net to the area's most resilient yet vulnerable families.
Who would you like to be contacted by?
Individuals interested in volunteering or applying for employment. Potential donors and others who can assist us in reaching more families, increasing the quality of care we are able to provide.
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Best way to stay ahead
In 1988 Mary’s Center identified that unmet community needs were driven by expecting mothers and newly arriving children. There was no safety net for the many women coming from Central America, displaced by civil wars and other life casualties. With time and the development of families, their needs continued to change, increasing the demand for language and job training skills, family planning, teen programming and micro economic development. The increase and diversification of programs offered by the Center allows us to approach family need holistically, to answer, “what does a family need to be successful and civically active?” The competative edge comes with listening to the clarion of the community, meeting community needs and planning for changes in community.
Guiding principle in life
Saving lives and strengthening communities one family at a time.
Best practical advice
Listen, listen to your staff, listen to the community, and be a leader to actualize your vision, always listening and moving forward.
Supportive words from a family member or friend on your venture
Learn from each other, there is always a lesson. Identify the lesson and move forward with solutions.
Also this week
Don't forget!
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